2nd go at Nationwide

[cjos66]

I have just sucessfully reclaimed from Nationwide, via Moneyclaimonline, with no problems except they closed my account. Am I bothered ....... no !!!

 

I have two previous Flex Accounts, both closed, so sent off DPA and they have acknowledged but are really dragging their feet in replying but still within 40 day limit, obviously because of the previous action I took.

 

Again this is no problem to me, only to them, as they WILL be sending me another refund cheque but just wondering if this is normal pracrice when customers come back for a second go, not on the same account I am not that daft or greedy.

 

As a point of interest I opened a Natwest Step AC and had all my DD's transfered over from the Nationwide AC before it was closed. Natwest obliged but one DD should have already been cancelled while at Nationwide but reappeared at Natwest. I knew I financially couldn't cover it so cancelled the DD, online, 2 days before due date, as like all of us on this forum we try to be as financially astute as possible, but still got paid, then refused, so incurred £38 charge. Queried it at my local branch today and without asking Natwest refunded the charge. Must admit I went in for a bit of a battle but they were as nice as pie. Bet it won't last but still it shows that very ocassionally they are human. I must also say that I cancelled it on a saturday and as the DD was going out on the monday the cancellation would not have taken affect by then, so I was told today.

 

I did ask why online 24 hour banking still works within the mon-fri, 9-5, framework and was told "24 banking only applies to money transfers and not the set up of DD's & SO's etc". Bit my tounge as they had just given me £38 back and I have only been with them 2 months.

 

Surely the whole point of our modern electronic computer age is that everything is instant and doesn't need to wait for the branch to open at 9.00 am This is a matter that needs to be addressed at headoffice level but has anyone else queried this with their bank, any bank, and got a 'sensible' answer'? Sorry to go off the Nationwide thread but we are all in the same boat.

[helzhelz]

Well done for the 1st claim and good luck for your second!

 

Sorry I haven't a clue why they work in office hours for internet banking!

 

I did want to ask though, the Natwest step account, what does the account include? Is it a basic cash card account? I opened a 2nd account with barclays and they wouldn't give me a debit card, despite me having a barclaycard! They also didn't offer online banking for that account.

 

I'm assuming my Nationwide account will be closed soon so I'd like to see if I can get another, better, account before then!

[clayts]

The Step account is a basic bank account - ie no cheque book, no cheque guarantee card, but you get a Solo card (pretty much a chocolate teapot these days in terms of a debit card), very basic internet banking (you cannot pay bills online), direct debits, standing orders, etc etc

 

You can apply online - I did so on Monday and yesterday got an agreement form to sign and return to them.

[cjos66]

Natwest Step AC provides Cashcard with Solo/Maestro/Cirrus debit facilities, DD & SO accepted but no cheque book or overdraft and limited online facilities. This is all I need so is almost perfect, would like Visa Debit card facility but no great hassle as I have a Visa credit card.

 

This Solo debit card is far more widely accepted than the Electron debit card so a better AC than the one offered by CO-OP, in my view anyway.

[cjos66]

I would just like to add that without this forum I would not have claimed and would still be with Nationwide with a basic Cashcard. So infact the Nationwide have done me a favour by forcing me to go elsewhere (Natwest) which has in turn resulted in me having a Solo debit card. This means I don't have to constantly carry cash around to pay for everything. I still carry some cash around but can pay for petrol, shopping etc without worrying if I have enough money on me even though I may have plenty of money in the bank (plenty of money by my standards). This is a great relief as I live in a village with no cash machine so I don't have to drive 10 minutes to the nearest machine just to get a tenner out.

 

I agree that the Solo debit card is not accepted everywhere but it is accepted in far more places than it isn't, and certainlly more than Electron is. After a few weeks you get to know the few places that won't accept it and so far this has been no inconvienience to me.

[Paul65]

A Step account offers no chequebook, no credit card, no overdraft facility but does come with internet banking and a Solo cash card which can also be used to pay for goods in most of the big chains and stores.

However, it cannot be used to pay bills online or via telephone banking, nor can it be used to transfer money to another bank account. But there is a trick to get around this limitation.

How To Use Telephone Banking To Pay Bills With a Step Account

• First you have to open a NatWest First Reserve savings account, this can either be done online www.NatWest.com or at any branch
• The First Reserve is a very simple deposit/savings account which pays a pathetic interest rate of around 1.5%, but this doesn't matter because you're not going to be using it to save money in
• Once the account is opened you'll be able to access it from the same screen on your internet access
• With you Step account if you try to use the 'Payment' button it will tell you that your account does not support this function
• But call NatWest up on their 24 hour customer line 0845 601 3366 transfer money from the Step to the First Reserve and then make the payment using the First Reserve account
  
• For example, you owe £20.47 to BT, phone NatWest get them to transfer £20.47 to your FR then get them to pay BT from that account, all this will take less than 3 mins. Natwest have an excellent telephone banking service and with it being 24 hours you can call whenever you want

Why Is This Important

This perhaps sounds more long winded that it actually is but it's very important because many of the people with Step accounts have been unorganised with their financial affairs in the past, especially no doubt when it comes to paying bills. And as a Step account doesn't come with a cheque book many bills have to be paid down at the bank which can be a hassle, getting to town, waiting in line etc.

Using this strategy one can remain fully on top of all money that has to be paid out and it only takes a few minutes.

[lawtlet]

hi there

never posted before have just submitted a claim against nationwide via moneyclaimonline they have now received the claim and have done an acknowledgement how long did it take for you to be refunded.

Got refunded from the halifax without the need for court yet the nationwide have been threatning to close the account and not very polite at all or even offered any sort of refund how did you get on:confused:

[lawtlet]

anyone any answers:confused:

[splitpea]

Maybe not too much help but i'm just about to claim from Nationwide so i will let you know what happens with me.